My Worst Weakness
by bandgeek18
Summary: Everyone one has a weakness. Even the strongest ranger can be beat somehow. If not through them, then through someone they love. Some monsters will do anything to win. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Saban and Nick do.

_*Italic indicates thought_

A/N: Hey everybody! I got this nice story here for ya! Hope you like it!

Jayden struggled against the moogers as they dragged him through the woods. The ropes tying his hands behind his back were unbearably tight. He threw himself against one of the moogers, trying to get free. They simply tightened their grip and shook him. The nighlock leading them, the one who'd captured him, Nettle, turned and looked at Jayden. "What did I say about trying to escape?" He looked past Jayden and nodded. The red ranger turned around as best he could. He saw the moogers holding Antonio stop. They saw Nettle nod and nodded back. One of them kicked Antonio in the back of the knees.

"Leave him alone!" Jayden told Nettle.

"I warned you that if you try to escape, he'd pay the price. Did you think I was bluffing?"

Jayden honestly had, but he knew he that saying so might get him in even more trouble. "I won't do it again! Honest! Just leave him alone!"

"I think you need to be taught a lesson." Jayden winced when he heard Antonio cry out in pain. He flinched again and then Nettle looked at him. "No escaping. Have I made myself clear?"

Jayden nodded. "Very."

"Good." He turned to the front again and the moogers pulled Jayden along. _I wish I could check on Antonio,_ Jayden thought. _I'm sorry, Antonio._ As they walked he made no more attempts to free himself. He let the moogers lead him to wherever they were going. It wasn't worth Antonio getting hurt again.

-My Worst Weakness-

They finally stopped walking when they were out of the woods. The place where they were had cliffs on all sides in a semi-circle, except where the first was they'd just walked out of. The ground was made of hard rock with a small layer of dirt on it. Jayden sighed, feeling tired. He was pretty sure they'd walked without a break for hours.

"Well, well, well," Serrator smiled. The moogers holding Antonio brought him over to stand next to Jayden. "Look what we have here. Excellent work Nettle. Master Xandred will be pleased."

Nettle nodded. "Trapping them was too easy."

"You can leave. I will handle it from here."

"Aye, aye Boss." Nettle disappeared into a gap as Serrator stood in front of the rangers.

"What do you want with us?" Antonio asked.

"Oh, you'll find out." Serrator nodded to the moogers and started to walk away. Jayden looked at Antonio as he felt the moogers grab his tied hands. His friend had a black eye and his lip was swollen a little. He caught Jayden's eye and smiled a little. Jayden nodded in return as the moogers freed his hands. _Why would they untie me? _he wondered as he rubbed his now bruised and rope burned wrists. He looked over at Antonio, waiting for the moogers to unite him. Instead, they dragged him out farther into the clearing where Serrator was.

One of the moogers pushed Jayden in that direction. "Alright, alright," he muttered. He followed them, wondering what could possibly be going on. The moogers weren't really making an attempt to guard him, but he wouldn't dare try to leave without Antonio. He stopped when they were in the center and looked at Serrator. "What do you want?"

"To watch," Serrator said simply.

"Watch what?"

"You fighting."

"Fighting? You kidnapped us so you could watch me fight?!"

Serrator laughed. "Of course."

Jayden glanced at Antonio. _They must've taken him too so they'd have something to use against me. _"And if I refuse?"

Serrator took out his weapon and put it to Antonio's throat. The moogers near Jayden grabbed his arms as he tried to step forward. "Refusal to do what we say will result in a very messy end for the gold ranger. Understand?"

Jayden sighed and nodded. "Yes." He was relieved when Serrator lowered his weapon and the moogers let go of both him and Antonio.

"Good." The moogers left the three of them and Jayden started to feel uneasy. "Now, you will fight your gold ranger."

"What?!"

Antonio looked at Serrator. "You must be joking."

"I won't-"

"Remember what I said. Either you fight him, or I kill him. What'll it be Red Ranger?"

Jayden hesitated. He didn't want to fight Antonio, but having him dead would be worse. Antonio looked at him and nodded. He wasn't afraid. _At least one of us isn't,_ Jayden thought. "Fine. We'll fight."

"Excellent." Serrator started to walk away, much to Jayden and Antonio's confusion.

"Um...aren't you going to untie me?!" Antonio demanded. "I can't fight if I'm tied up!"

Serrator smiled. "No. I don't think I will."

Jayden's eyes widened. "Untie him or-"

"Or what?!" Serrator asked, turning to look at him. "I hold all the cards, Red Ranger. There's nothing you can do." Jayden felt despair inside of him. He looked at Antonio, who nodded again. He wasn't afraid. The red ranger sighed as he took a ready stance. Antonio faced him, ready to try and dodge. "And Red Ranger," Serrator added. "You'd better make this worth my while. A real fight, like you're fighting one of us, or you'll be sorry."

Jayden closed his eyes for a brief second, praying Antonio would forgive him. He suddenly stepped forward and punched Antonio in the face. He grunted in pain and stumbled back. Jayden followed with a kick in the ribs and punched him in the chest with both fists. Antonio stumbled, trying to remain standing. He dodged to the side, avoiding another kick. Jayden was better than him though, and turned, kicking him in the back. Antonio stumbled, falling onto his face. Jayden kicked him in the ribs, tying to remain expressionless. Antonio curled up a little, gasping in pain. The red ranger kicked him in the head, then grabbed him by his shirt. He dragged Antonio back to his feet.

"You ok?" he whispered.

"Mhm," Antonio replied.

Jayden nodded, then kicked him again. He kept punching and kicking Antonio, hoping he was keeping Serrator happy. He tired not to look at the gold ranger in the eyes as he kept up his assault. He punched him in the head again and Antonio fell to the ground again. Jayden walked up to him and for once second, he saw a flash of fear in Antonio's eyes. He felt like it was a stab in the heart, yet still remained emotionless. He knelt down so that he was straddling his now very inured friend. He kept punching him in the face, knocking his head from side to side. He shifted slightly so he could knee him in the stomach.

Antonio gasped and rolled back and forth, trying to throw Jayden off. Jayden simply got off and grabbed Antonio's arms. He pulled back so he was standing, and swept his legs out from under him. Antonio fell on the ground, smacking his head off the stone. He yelled in pain, and Jayden kicked him again. The red ranger grabbed his neck and tossed him to his feet. His friend stumbled and Jayden grabbed the back of his shirt. He pulled Antonio back and put him in a head lock. He squeezed his arm around the gold ranger's neck.

Jayden squeezed harder, hoping that if Antonio was unconscious the nighlocks would let him stop. He felt Antonio struggle and pulled, trying to get free. A minute later he stopped struggling and Jayden let him drop him to the ground. He stepped back, heart breaking as he saw the damage he'd caused.

"Did I say you could stop?" Serrator called to Jayden.

The red ranger shook his head in disbelief. "He's unconscious. He's had enough."

"I will tell you when you're done!"

"But-"

"Moogers!"

"Fine!" Jayden agreed. He sighed and started kicking his unconscious friend. He kicked Antonio everywhere he could. In the head; the chest; the ribs; the stomach; the knees. He got down on his knees and started punching him again. Not until his hands were hurting and his knuckles had Antonio's blood on them did Serrator say he could stop.

"Stop!" Serrator yelled. Jayden stopped and felt exhausted.

Some moogers came over and pulled his hands behind his back. He could only stare at Antonio as they re-tied his hands. His best friend was still with blood covering most of his face and was dripping onto his shirt and neck. The red ranger felt like he was going to throw up looking at the damage he'd caused. Serrator came over to him looked over Antonio. He shook his head. "Look what you did."

"Don't...don't..."

"Hurt him? I dint think we could hurt him anymore than you already have." He approached Jayden and knelt down next to him. "Remember that what happened to him was your fault. You caused him this pain. You threw the punches. It was your fault."

"My fault..." Jayden whispered, starting to shake.

Serrator laughed. He nodded to the moogers and Jayden's vision suddenly went black.

-My Worst Weakness-

Pain pounded in Jayden's head as he opened his eyes. He moaned and blinked, making his vision focus. He sat up and looked around. He turned and froze when he saw Antonio. The gold ranger was still unconscious. His breathing was labored and raspy. Every time he exhaled Jayden could see flecks of blood. The red ranger suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. He wiggled around and discovered he wasn't tied down. He moved painfully and slipped one of his legs through his tied hands. He slipped the other one through and got up onto his knees. He crawled over to Antonio and knelt down beside him.

He reached his tied hands out, hovering over Antonio. He suddenly saw his hands punching his best friend in the face. Again, and again, and again. He jerked his hands back and started shaking a little. He sat down cross-legged next to his unconscious friend. "I'll keep you safe," he whispered. "I'll protect you Antonio. No one else will hurt you. I promise."

-My Worst Weakness-

When the gap alarm went off, Mike and Kevin practically tripped over each other to check the map.

"Think it's them?" Mia asked as she and Emily came in.

"I hope so," Kevin answered. "Come on, let's go!"

"Please be Jayden and Antonio," Mike prayed. "Please be Jayden and Antonio."

The four rangers ran through the twilight-lit forest. They were careful to avoid tree roots and bushes that could trip them. As they got closer to the location, Kevin took out his morpher. "Let's morph."

"Got it," Emily said.

"GO, GO, SAMURAI!" They morphed as they ran, running through their symbols.

"Jayden?!" Mike called. "Antonio!"

"We didn't know if this is about them yet," Kevin to so him.

"They've been missing all day!" Emily protested. "It has to be them!"

Mia nodded. "Jayden! Antonio!"

"Jayden! Antonio!" Mike yelled again.

"Mike shh!" Kevin said, stopping suddenly. Mike ran into him and the girls ran into Mike.

"What's the big-"

"Shh! Listen." They were all quiet for a moment as they listened.

"Guys!" they heard someone call. "Over here!"

"That's them!" Mike said excitedly as they followed Kevin at a sprint. The voice got louder a they got closer.

"Jayden?!" Kevin called. "Jayden!" They found their friends sitting at the base of a large tree. Well, one of them was sitting. Kevin knelt down beside Jayden. "Are you ok?!"

"I...uh..."

"Uh, Kev," Mia said as she and Emily looked over Antonio. "He doesn't look so good."

Kevin untied Jayden's hands and helped the red ranger to his feet. Mike helped the girls free Antonio's hands. They gently picked him up and Mia and Mike took his weight. "Let's go home," Kevin advised. "We need to get them looked at."

Jayden could only lean on Kevin, completely exhausted. He dreaded the moment when the others would find out what had happened to Antonio. _I wonder if Kevin would still be he long me walk if he knew._

-My Worst Weakness-

Everything was a blur for Jayden when they got home. Ji could see that Antonio was the one in need of immediate help. He disappeared into the infirmary room as Kevin sat Jayden down in the living room. He stayed silent and unmovable as the others mingled around. He kept replaying the days events in his head. He kept seeing Antonio's eyes fill with fear for a second right before Jayden kicked him.

"Jayden," Mia said gently. "Jayden?"

"Huh?" Jayden looked up and saw the pink ranger was sitting across from him. "Is Antonio ok?"

"Ji is still patching him up. We'll know soon. I need to get you cleaned up." She took a cloth and got it wet in a bowl on the table. She took one of his hands gently in her own and started gently scrubbing at the blood on his knuckles. "Did you punch a tree?" Jayden simply shook his head, not trusting himself to speak. "Looks like they tied you up pretty tight," she continued upon seeing his wrists. "Do they hurt?" Jayden shook his head. "You're awfully quiet. Even for you. Are you ok?" Jayden started to nod until Mia shook her head. "No you're not. We all saw Antonio, Jayden." Jayden suddenly forgot how to breathe. "The nighlocks hurt Antonio. Didn't they?"

Jayden didn't know what to do. "In a way."

"It's not your fault," Mia told him, starting to clean his other hand. "I know it must've been terrible for you to see them hurting him without being able to do anything about it. But it's not your fault. They were the ones who hurt him. Right?"

"I guess."

"And don't worry about Antonio being upset with you. He knows you weren't at fault. Right?"

"I guess."

"Ok then." She finished and nodded. "Ji will want to wrap your wrists and knuckles, they look a little swollen. Are you sure you didn't lunch a tree or two?" Before Jayden could reply she laughed and left.

Jayden sat in the living room, feeling numb and guilty. _What will they say? _He wondered. _What will they do when they find out it wasn't the nighlocks who hurt Antonio? What will happen when they find out it was me?!_ He put his head in his hands in despair. _They're going to hate me, I know it. They should. I beat Antonio until he was unconscious, and then beat him some more! _He shook his head. _I'm sorry Antonio. I'm so sorry!_ He got up and headed for the infirmary room.

_What if I really hurt him?! What if he d-_ It was impossible to even finish the thought. He sat down across from the infirmary room door. A few minutes later the door opened and Ji didn't look at all surprised to see him there. Jayden, lifted his head and looked at his mentor. "Is he ok?"

"He'll be plenty bruised, and I think a concussion is imminent. Broken ribs, but nothing else is broken. He'll live."

Jayden felt relief behind relief. "Can I see him?"

"Yes, but he's asleep."

"I won't wake him." Jayden got up and went into the infirmary room. He closed the door gently behind him as he approached his friend. He sat down next to Antonio and looked him over. He was sleeping soundly. His face was heavily bruised and there were still more forming. The blood had been cleaned off him so he didn't look nearly as bad as he had earlier. Jayden reached out gently to touch Antonio's face. He suddenly saw his fists punching Antonio and jerked his hand back. He tired to reach for Antonio's hand, but all he could see was him kicking Antonio in the back. He pulled away again and felt saddened. He didn't know if he would ever be able to touch Antonio again.

It suddenly felt like the situation was hopeless. It would only get worse once the other rangers found out. He put his arms on the bed next to Antonio and put his head down on his arms. He started to cry quietly. He would never be able to touch his best friend again, and could only hope Antonio wouldn't hate him. "They really did it this time," he whispered as he cried quietly. "They finally found a way to hurt me. The one place I can't defend myself." He grabbed the blanket gently. "I'm so sorry Antonio. I'm so sorry."


End file.
